Welcome to our Member Interviews, today we'll be talking to Taape about her experiences with Forteo.
Before we start, here's some information on Forteo for those who aren't familiar with this type of osteoporosis treatment.
Teriparatide (Forteo®) is a synthetic form of parathyroid hormone (PTH), which is naturally found in the body. The synthetic hormone is given by subcutaneous daily injection for the treatment of osteoporosis (Regence Group 2009). Forteo is generally reserved for those at high-risk of fracture or with t-scores below -2.5. Forteo comes in a pre-metered dose pen that has 28 days of medication. After the 28th day, the pen is disposed. This medication is FDA approved for two years, however some clinicians are considering additional treatment beyond this if their patients need additional therapy and no other drug is available. Forteo needs to be refrigerated, at all times, at a temperature between 36º and 46º, and should never be frozen.
Welcome Taape, thanks so much for agreeing to answer my questions about your treatment with Forteo.
How long have you had osteoporosis and how did you find out about it?
I was considering spine surgery and after doing some research decided to request that my primary care doctor order a DEXA scan. The scan revealed that I had severe osteoporosis. I've known about my osteoporosis for five years.
Did you have the usual risk factors, or some secondary medical disorder that causes bone loss?
The risk factors I have are family history, decreased estrogen with menopause, and possibly use from multiple epidural steroid injections. No secondary medical disorder was identified.
How did you decide which treatment to take?
My T scores were severe, -3.1 in my spine, and the surgeon started me on Fosamax from reading the DEXA scan report only, rather than sending me to an osteoporosis specialist. After one pill my stomach was burning although I took two more pills for a total of three weeks.
Was it at this point that you decide to take Forteo and how did you do on it? Do you have any side effects from the Forteo? Did you see DEXA score improvements after your two year course on Forteo?
I requested to be seen by an endocrinologist for evaluation since the side effects of the Fosamax forced me to stop the medication. I asked the doctor if I could try Forteo since it was an injectable medication and probably wouldn't bother my stomach. The doctor agreed however at first insurance denied paying for the pens even though I meet most of the FDA criteria, and after both the doctor and I submitting an appeal, it was approved. I didn't notice any side effects besides red marks sometimes where I did the injections. After two years of treatment I got improvement in my bone density confirmed by a DEXA scan. I was not tested for fractures during the first two years on Forteo; it was assumed that I did not have fractures.
